How Many Dimples on a Golf Ball?
For the majority of golfs long history golf balls were made of wood (imagine that for a while), there there was a move to goose feather and leather which could cost more than a golf club at the time, and then a dried sap of the Sapodilla tree was used to make ‘Gutty balls’. All very different but all with one surprising thing in common not one had a dimple on them. We take a look at how many dimples a golf ball has now, and give you a link to why you should be very thankful that they do.
A golf ball has dimples on its surface to reduce drag and increase lift, increasing distance and reducing the chance of slicing the ball. The exact number of dimples can vary, but most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples. These dimples are placed and shaped to optimize the aerodynamics of the ball in flight.
So now they are commonplace, and it would be weird to see a golf ball without dimples, it was not always the case. We have a video linked on our Why do golf ball have dimples article that shows how much difference they can actually make. However, if you want to know how many dimples on your golf balls then read on here!
How Many Dimples on a Golf Ball?
While the number of dimples on a golf ball can vary depending on the manufacturer and the specific type of ball, and as we mentioned previously when the golf ball was made. Most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples, but some can have as few as 250 or as many as 500 or more. One had 1070 (the most dimples on a golf ball ever)
Of course the size of the dimples correlates to the number of dimples on a golf ball and although as a rule of thumb its better to have more than less dimples there is a point when it becomes a diminishing return. ( like having a 1000 on them! )
Typically, golf balls with more dimples have a slightly larger surface area covered by dimples, which can affect the ball’s lift and drag, making it fly further and straighter.
If yo want to know about specific golf balls the guys here have broken it down in to different brands and manufacturers here.
Is It Better to have More or Less dimples On A Golf Ball?
Usually on a golf ball, more dimples equals more distance and performance. A higher number of dimples creates a larger surface area which will affect the ball’s lift and drag. This results in a more stable flight and less drag, which allows the ball to travel farther and straighter. if only it were that simple though…
The effect of dimples on a golf ball is not solely determined by the quantity of dimples, but also by the size and shape of the dimples, as well as the overall quality and design of the ball.
The size, shape, and depth of the dimples will also affect the ball’s lift and drag, and while they will all perform to a similar standard it does eventually come down to a golfers choice and preference.
You can learn more about the speed golf balls travel here.
Just to add more confusion into the mix, dimples why clearly important are not the only factor at play here. Other factors such as the ball’s compression, material, and construction also play a large role in its ultimate performance.
When were dimples put on a golf ball check
There is debate on when the first ‘dimpled’ golf balls made an appearance and the answers actually differ on wikipedia and on popular golfing websites (yes we put the links in here)
So you can read both and decide.
On Wiki it says that the first manufactured dimpled golf balls were patented in 1905 by William Taylor. He discovered than indents greatly helped the distance and accuracy of golf balls, and by 1908 this was was what was commonly used.
and on Foundgolfballs.com they say that between 1848 and the 1890’s the Gutty balls were found to fly higher if they were hammered with a sharp pointed hammer ( i imagine like a toffee hammer but larger) to make…. dimples. this caught on and were eventually part of the manufacturing process.
However, really unless you are a golf historian, we can put who did what, when and where to one as side and be safe in the knowledge that at least now, dimples are a matter of fact and no matter how they got there your drives are longer because of them and for that we can thank William Taylor or someones hammer 100 or so years ago.
We have a selection of articles on golf Balls here on the site. You can check out some in the list below.
- How do you know where the ball lands.
- Can you use colored golf balls
- How many dimples on a golf ball
- How far can a golf ball travel
- How fast is a golf ball
- why does my golf ball curve right
- Can you keep golf balls you find
- Why are golf balls white?
Conclusion
So there is an average of 300 or so dimples on a golf ball with the least being around 250 and the most over 1000 ( 1070 currently the record) However although the number of dimples is most certainly a factor in improving the flight of a golf ball both in distance and in direction there are multiple other factors that play an equally important role.
Construction, compression, materials, and of course quality all have an impact on the ball you are impacting when you slam your driver into it. So whether its 250 or 1000 dimples, just be thankful that
- 1: it has dimples in the first place and
- 2: Its not made out of wood, goose feathers or tree sap!
References
https://www.foundgolfballs.com/pages/history-of-the-golf-ball
